Observation / Reflection #5: What Did Students Learn? Introduction: Teachers often use worksheets to structure students’ individual or group work during class. A good worksheet communicates purpose, instructions, and allows the teacher to quickly assess a student’s progress. As a new teacher, it may be useful for you to take examine a worksheet that has been completed by a student, analyze the task guided by the worksheet, and reflect on what the student learned. This page is meant to support this process. 1. What was the lesson about? (If you can, jot down a summary of the lesson’s topic or its objectives).
This lesson is a formative assessment. The students have been learning about energy flow through ecosystems by creating and observing terrariums and aquariums. This is a lesson I created with home-made manipulatives. The students were to observe their aquariums and have a conversation about it by following the checklist of observation guidelines. The students were then given a worksheet to complete. They had to complete the simple data chart; documenting the conversation they had with their partners just minutes prior. 2. Insert the photo of a student’s worksheet. (If possible, use a ‘scanner’ app on your iPad or iPhone to capture just the page or pages, and use Skitch to label the parts of the worksheet you wish to analyze)
I made a rubric and attached it. This particular student received a 23 out of 23 for total points.
3. Based on the worksheet’s task, complete the summary table below for at least three tasks/worksheet items.
Item
Task
Key Concept or Skill
Cognitive Level 1 = Low (knowledge) 2= Med (application) 3 = High (synthesis or evaluation)
1
Complete Data Chart
Students converse with each other about what they see in their aquariums and any changes that can be observed. Students recorded these observations on a data chart.
1
2
Drawing
Students were instructed to draw exactly what they see in their aquariums.
1
3
Label Drawings
Students apply their knowledge from class to label what they see in their aquariums.
2
4
Answering Questions
Students apply knowledge by evaluating what they have observed through answering synthesis questions. Students draw on prior knowledge from current unit to answer questions.
3
4. Describe what students were supposed to learn during this lesson.
Students were supposed to analyze their aquariums, draw and label, report any changes, and answer questions based on prior knowledge and things they observed in their aquariums that day. Students were supposed to answer synthesis questions to apply knowledge and critical thinking skills. Students are suppose to show understanding by correctly completing the laboratory worksheet. Students show understanding by expressing, in their own words, what a producer is, consumer, what types of plants we have been studying, what respiration is, and what photosynthesis is. 5. Based on the student’s answers on the worksheet you captured, what did the student understand? What evidence to you have for this?
The students did very well on this assignment. The student read and understood evidence and this is apparent because the student completed the data chart with relevant observations and whose neat and labeled drawing reflects her observation chart. The student understand what a producer is by explaining that producers make their own food for other organisms. The student understood what a consumer is by saying they eat for energy. The student understood the water cycle by answering critical thinking questions based on the process. The student showed understanding of their knowledge of photosynthesis and cellular respiration by briefly stating what the process is and how it is completed. 6. What might the student still be struggling with? What evidence is present?
I believe the students might have had a little bit of trouble expressing their understanding of cellular respiration. I found this was a common trend among my students. I found it hard to grade this one question because you know what students mean to say, but it doesn't always come out that way when students explain it in their own words. 7. Were you satisfied that the worksheet or task was adequate for this topic? What changes might improve this resource in the future? Why?
Yes, I was extremely satisfied with this activity. I believe this worksheet and task are an adequate representation on this topic of Ecology and Energy Transfer. Almost every student in the class got what I wanted them to get out of the activity. Students with accommodated worksheets finished at the same time as the rest of the students, which meant I tiered the assignment correctly. This formative assessment also gave me a relative idea about how well the students have comprehended the material thus far. Next time, I would give the students the rubric I created before hand so the students knew exactly what was expected of them.
Introduction: Teachers often use worksheets to structure students’ individual or group work during class. A good worksheet communicates purpose, instructions, and allows the teacher to quickly assess a student’s progress. As a new teacher, it may be useful for you to take examine a worksheet that has been completed by a student, analyze the task guided by the worksheet, and reflect on what the student learned. This page is meant to support this process.
1. What was the lesson about? (If you can, jot down a summary of the lesson’s topic or its objectives).
This lesson is a formative assessment. The students have been learning about energy flow through ecosystems by creating and observing terrariums and aquariums. This is a lesson I created with home-made manipulatives. The students were to observe their aquariums and have a conversation about it by following the checklist of observation guidelines. The students were then given a worksheet to complete. They had to complete the simple data chart; documenting the conversation they had with their partners just minutes prior.
2. Insert the photo of a student’s worksheet. (If possible, use a ‘scanner’ app on your iPad or iPhone to capture just the page or pages, and use Skitch to label the parts of the worksheet you wish to analyze)
I made a rubric and attached it. This particular student received a 23 out of 23 for total points.
file:localhost/Users/Guest/Desktop/unnamed-2.jpg
file:localhost/Users/Guest/Desktop/unnamed-1.jpg
file:localhost/Users/Guest/Desktop/unnamed-3.jpg
3. Based on the worksheet’s task, complete the summary table below for at least three tasks/worksheet items.
1 = Low (knowledge)
2= Med (application)
3 = High (synthesis or evaluation)
Students were supposed to analyze their aquariums, draw and label, report any changes, and answer questions based on prior knowledge and things they observed in their aquariums that day. Students were supposed to answer synthesis questions to apply knowledge and critical thinking skills. Students are suppose to show understanding by correctly completing the laboratory worksheet. Students show understanding by expressing, in their own words, what a producer is, consumer, what types of plants we have been studying, what respiration is, and what photosynthesis is.
5. Based on the student’s answers on the worksheet you captured, what did the student understand? What evidence to you have for this?
The students did very well on this assignment. The student read and understood evidence and this is apparent because the student completed the data chart with relevant observations and whose neat and labeled drawing reflects her observation chart. The student understand what a producer is by explaining that producers make their own food for other organisms. The student understood what a consumer is by saying they eat for energy. The student understood the water cycle by answering critical thinking questions based on the process. The student showed understanding of their knowledge of photosynthesis and cellular respiration by briefly stating what the process is and how it is completed.
6. What might the student still be struggling with? What evidence is present?
I believe the students might have had a little bit of trouble expressing their understanding of cellular respiration. I found this was a common trend among my students. I found it hard to grade this one question because you know what students mean to say, but it doesn't always come out that way when students explain it in their own words.
7. Were you satisfied that the worksheet or task was adequate for this topic? What changes might improve this resource in the future? Why?
Yes, I was extremely satisfied with this activity. I believe this worksheet and task are an adequate representation on this topic of Ecology and Energy Transfer. Almost every student in the class got what I wanted them to get out of the activity. Students with accommodated worksheets finished at the same time as the rest of the students, which meant I tiered the assignment correctly. This formative assessment also gave me a relative idea about how well the students have comprehended the material thus far. Next time, I would give the students the rubric I created before hand so the students knew exactly what was expected of them.